Warriors’ Splash Brothers coming up dry vs. Rockets

1of4Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots over Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the second half in game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Monday, May 6, 2019.Photo: Loren Elliott / Special to The Chronicle

2of4HOUSTON, TX - MAY 06: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket defended by Eric Gordon #10 of the Houston Rockets in the third quarter during Game Four of the Second Round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 4, 2019 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)Photo: Tim Warner / Getty Images

3of4Warriors Stephen Curry (30) and Thompson (11) argue a call during the second half of Game 4 in Houston.Photo: Elizabeth Conley / Hearst Newspapers

4of4The Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) complains to an official after being called for a foul on a Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) 3-point attempt during the first half in game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Monday, May 6, 2019.Photo: Loren Elliott / Hearst Newspapers

Remember back in ancient times, at the beginning of the Warriors’ dynasty, how Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson invented the three-point shot? The Splash Brothers?

That invention was as important as the discovery of fire, and a lot more exciting.

Now? Oh, the irony.

With the Splash Brothers now touring as the Brick Brothers, the Warriors are getting beaten with the shot they invented. It’s an awkward moment that they will have to either work though, or die from.

Steph and Klay getting out-threed is like the Wright Brothers getting pulled off their San Francisco-to-Paris flight because authorities are suspicious of what they might be hiding under those derbies.

The situation is becoming problematic. What can Steve Kerr do? Should he call Bruce Bochy and see if the Giants’ skipper will loan Pablo “The Handyman” Sandoval to the Warriors to hit some 3s?

Golden State Warriors

On Monday night in Houston, Thompson was 1-for-6 from beyond the 3-point arc and Curry was 4-for-14.

For the four-game series, Thompson is 8-for-26 on 3s; Curry is 12-for-46. Combined: 20-for-72.

“I didn’t think we got great shots for most of the night,” Kerr said. “I thought we were just in a rush to create pace. The pace (from one end of the court to the other) is good, but we’ve got to get better shots.

“When you’re not poised and you’re taking quick shots and you’re not searching for great shots, you’re not going to shoot the ball as well. They both had some good ones, but they both had plenty of forced shots. We were in a rush and that got us a little out of sorts.”

During one timeout huddle, Kerr could be heard on TV urging his players to work the ball, trust the process, drive and kick. In other words, extend plays. The Warriors at their best make four, five, six or more passes before they shoot. This results not only in good open shots and shreds defenses, but it tires out the other team.

In this game, Houston’s defense did not get overworked or frazzled or dazzled.

In this series, the Splash Brothers are putting up 18 3-point shots per game, down only slightly from 19.4 in the regular season, but in the regular season, they combined to make 8.2 3’s per game, and in this series, they’ve made five per game. In a super-close series, that’s big.

In the past two games, Curry is 6-for-23 from 3.

Give credit to Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni and his players for their clever, quick and ferocious defense on the Splash Brothers, who are not getting good looks. There’s more rich irony for you. When Kerr was general manager of the Phoenix Suns, he fired D’Antoni as head coach because Kerr thought D’Antoni didn’t put enough emphasis on defense.

In the closing minute Monday, Curry and Kevin Durant both missed open 3-point attempts that would have tied the score.

What’s up with the Splash Brothers? Could be injuries. Thompson suffered what Kerr called a “significant” ankle sprain in Game 3 of the series, and Curry also turned his ankle, and he is playing with a dislocated finger on his left hand.

But Curry and Thompson aren’t copping any injury excuses, which is good, because that would be a terrible look. And it’s possible their nicks really aren’t the cause of their misfires.

It’s more likely that the Rockets are simply playing really good defense on Curry and Thompson. And that the Warriors aren’t working their flow offense.

Curry often creates his own 3-point attempts, but Thompson needs to get the ball behind screens, after four or five passes, and that wasn’t happening the past two games.

Those past two games have been painful for the Warriors because the long ball is their game, they invented it and perfected it and won championships with it.

Now they watch James Harden club them over the head with their own club.

But the Rockets aren’t a one-man show. In Game 4 especially, the Rockets did what the Warriors were unable to do: spread the floor, move the ball and get players open for 3-point looks. Seven Rockets hit at least one 3.

Durant has taken over the scoring burden for the Warriors since Game 3 of the Clippers’ series, but the Warriors aren’t going all the way to a title this time without a strong contribution from the Splash Brothers, who are down but not out — or so they say.

When Thompson went cold in the first two games of the previous series, he revived himself and his game with a dip in the Pacific Ocean. That ocean is still open for business and Thompson might want to dive into it when he returns from Houston on Tuesday. And he should take his Splash Brother with him. Rocco can guard the beach towels.

Scott Ostler has been a sports columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle since 1991. He has covered five Olympics for The Chronicle, as well as one soccer World Cup and numerous World Series, Super Bowls and NBA Finals.

Though he started in sports and is there now, Scott took a couple of side trips into the real world for The Chronicle. For three years he wrote a daily around-town column, and for one year, while still in sports, he wrote a weekly humorous commentary column.

He has authored several books and written for many national publications. Scott has been voted California Sportswriter of the Year 13 times, including six times while at The Chronicle. He moved to the Bay Area from Southern California, where he worked for the Los Angeles Times, the National Sports Daily and the Long Beach Press-Telegram.